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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

B. J. BLACK.

OONDUIT FOR ELECTRIC RAILWAYS. No. 419,308. Patented Jan. 14,1890.

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B. J. BLACK. GONDUIT FOR ELECTRIC RAILWAYS.

No. 419,308. Patented Jan. 14,1890.

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I y M (g ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BERNARD J. BLACK, OF RICHMOND, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR TO I-IIMSELF, \VILTONF. JENKINS, ERDMANN HOFFMANN, THEODORE HEINSON, AND DANIEL STEPHENSON,ALL OF SAME PLACE.

CONDUIT FOR ELECTRIC RAILWAYS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 419,308, dated January14, 1890. Application filed May 3, 1889. Serial No. 309,530. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BERNARD J. BLACK, residing at Richmonchin the countyof Henrico and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Conduits for Electric Railways, of which the followingis a specification.

My invention relates particularly to underground conduits; and it hasfor its object to provide a conduit which will be of a strong anddurable character, which is provided with detachable covers to admit ofready access to the interior of the same, and which is so constructedthat but a minimum amount of water can enter the conduit, and

in which the circuit-wires are disposed withj in the conduit to one sideof the slot.

To this end my invention consists in certain novel features ofconstruction and peculiar combination of parts, all of which willhereinafter be fully explained in the annexed specification, andparticularly pointed out in the claims, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a transverse verticalsection of my improved conduit. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal verticalsection on line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan view of a portion of myimproved conduit. Fig. 4 is a detail View of one of the cover or topplates, and Fig. 5 is a detail.

In the accompanying drawings,Aindicates the conduit, which is formed ofa series of essentially U-shaped metallic yokes B, which are each aboutfour feet long and about one foot deep. The side Bf of each of theyokesections B is extended up above the surface, as at Z), and forms oneedge of the slot 0, and the opposite wall B extends upward, as at b. Thewall B of the yoke B is provided with a horizontally-disposed dovetailgroove b in which are fitted the dovetailed heads D of a brace-arm D,the lower end of which is anchored, as shown at D These arms serve tobrace one side of the conduit.

E denotes metal brace-arms, which are enployed to brace the oppositeside of the conduit and also to serve as supports for theconduit-covers. The construction of these arms is a particular featureof my invention.

Each of these arms, the construction of which is most clearly shown inFigs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, consists of a body portion E, of abouttwo inches in width, the upper portion of which extends inwardly, as atE forming brackets for supporting the tops F of the conduit. The bracketportions E extend, preferably, across the top of the conduit, as shown,

and form with the inner ends of the top plates F the inner edge 0 of theslot 0. By this construction it will be seen that the conduit-slot isdisposed at the inner end of the conduit instead of the center, as isusually the case, for a purpose which willhereinafter appear.

E denotes the foot portion of the arms E, which are securely anchored inplace in any suitable manner.

The removable top plates F, one of which is shown in detail, Fig. 4:,each consists of a plate four feet long, corrugated on its upper face toprevent animals from slipping there on, and provided With a dependinglip f, which projects over the upper end I) of the side Wall B of theyoke and is seated in arecess 6; formed in the outer upper edge of thebrackets E Where said plates lap the bracearms E. The inner ends f ofthe plates F form, as before stated, one edge of the slot, and the saidends, as well as the upper end of the yoke-wall B, is rounded, as at CC, to admit of the ready passage of vehicles over the slot and toprevent undue jars to the slotwalls. In adjusting the brace-arms inposition they are disposed at the meeting ends of the. yoke-sections Band the cover-plates F, and to form means to strongly brace the severalparts together I form each of the meeting ends of the yoke-walls B withcut-away portions B B whereby an opening 13 is formed when said sectionsare adjusted together for the brace-arm section E to pass through. Theportion 19* of the wall 13 engages a recessed portion (2 in the arm E,as

clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, and serves to hold the saidparts from lateral displacement. The upper faces of the bracket portionsE of the arms E are provided with grooves or gutters e 6 which serve tolead the water to one side, as will be readily understood by referenceto the drawings, and thereby prevent the same from entering the slot 0.In placing the conduit in position the concrete or other materialforming the street-surface is packed about the conduit up to the pointindicated by line X in the drawings, which is about flush with the outerupper edge of the top plates F, which edges are rounded, as shown at f,and form, there fore, practically no obstruction to a vehicle passing inthe direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1. Vehicles goingin theopposite direction when passing over the slot and coming against thewall 0 of the slot tend to force said' end down and thereby make theslotopening irregular. To securely brace the said slot-wall, I providethe plates F with depending lugs F which rest against the inner face ofthe yoke-wall B thus throwing the strain exerted on said slot-wallagainst the conduit-wall 13 G denotes one of a series of horizontalbrackets secured to the side wall B of the conduit, as clearly shown inFig. 1, each of which has secured upon its outer ends knobs g, of anysuitable non -conducting material such as porcelain, glass, &c.whichsupport the electrical circuit-wire H. In adjusting the wire H the sameis wound about the pulleys spirally, said pulleys being provided withspiral grooves forming seats for the wire. By this arrangement the wirecan be firmly secured upon said pulleys without any unnecessary slack.The brackets Gr extend about halfway across the conduit, as shown, thuscarrying the electric wire in the conduit to one sideof the slot, asshown, thereby avoiding the danger to meddlesome persons who mayendeavor to reach the wire H by means of inserting a stick or redthrough the slot.

I denotes the trolley, which is carried by the car-body and whichextends within the slot and carries the current from the wire H to amotor on the car. This trolley is arranged to project laterally in theconduit and to travel on the top of the wire H. As this trollcy formsthe subject-matter of a separate application, Serial No. 312,160, filedMay 35, 1889, by \Vilton F. Jenkins and myself, further description ofthe same here is deemed unnecessary.

As a means for preventing water entering the conduit between the severalsectionjoints, I construct each section of the yokes and thecover-plates with projecting lips s and t, respectively, which overlapthe adjacent ends .9 and t of the next succeeding sections in a mannerclearly understood by reference to the drawings.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings,the advantages of a conduit constructed as described will readilyappear. It will be seen that the same is of simple but effectiveconstruction,and that the several parts are so adjusted as to readilyadmit of the expansion and contraction of the metal caused by variationsof the temperature without weakening the strength of the same.

By arranging the top plates F as described access may be readily had tothe conduit at any point thereof.

Having thus described my invention, whatI claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent,

1. A conduit for electric railways, consisting of essentially U-shapedmetallic yokesections, one wall of said yokes extended upward above theground, forming one edge of the conduit-slot, and detachablecover-plates secured over the yoke-sections, the inner edges thereofforming the opposite edge of the conduit. -slot, substantially as shownand dc scribed.

2. A conduit for electric railways, consisting of essentially U-shapedmetallic yokesections, one wall B of'said sections extend ing up abovethe ground, forming one edge of the conduit-slot, and detachablecoverplat-es secured over the yoke-sections, the inner edges thereofforming the opposite wall of said slot, in combination withhorizontally-disposed brackets secured to the wall 13 of the yoke andextended to about centrally of the conduit, said brackets provided withthe electricwire-supporting knobs, whereby the wire is disposed withinthe conduit to one side of the slot, substantially as and for thepurpose described.

3. A'conduit for electric railways, consisting of essentially U-shapedmetallic yokeseetions, one wall of said sections extended upward abovethe ground, forming one edge of the conduit-slot, brace-arms D E,secured 011 opposite sides of the conduit, the arm E provided with anextension E projected within the conduit, and detachable coverplates F,supported on said extensions over the conduit, the inner ends of saidplates forming the opposite edge of the conduit-slot, and means foranchoring said arms D and E, substantially as shown and described.

4. The combination, with the yoke-sections B, one wall B of whichextends upward and forms one edge of the conduit-slot, the meeting edgesof the walls B of said sections provided with cut-away portions B B,forming an opening 1310f the bracket-arm E, anchored, as shown, to oneside of the conduitsections and disposed at the meeting ends of saidsections, said arm provided with a pro- 3' ecting bracket portion Eextending through the opening 13 into the conduit, said portion Eprovided with a recess a, lapping over the end I) of the wall B anddetachable cover-plates F, supported over the yoke-seetions upon thebrackets E the inner ends of said plates forming the opposite edge ofthe conduit-slot, all arranged substantially as and for the purposedescribed.

5. The combination, with the yoke-sections B, one wall 13 of whichextends upward and forms one edge of the conduit-slot, the meet ingedges of the walls B of the said yoke-sections provided with cut-awayportions B forming an opening B of the bracket-arm E, anchored to oneside of the conduit, as shown, and disposed at the meeting ends of saidyokesections, said arm E provided with a bracket portion E extendingthrough the slot B Within the conduit, the upper edge of said portion Eprovided with waterdischarge grooves or channels 6-, said arm providedwith a recess 6 lapping over the end b of the wall B and the removablecover-plates F, supported at their meeting ends on the brackets E overthe conduit, the inner ends of said plates forming the edge of the slot,substantially as and for the purpose described.

6. The combination, with the yoke-sections B, one wall of which extendsupward and forms the outer edge'of the conduit-slot, and the brace-armE, anchored to one side of the conduit, as shown, provided with aninwardlyprojecting bracket portion E extending through a slot B in thewall B Within the conduit-chamber, said projecting portion E providedwith a recess 6 lapping the edge b of the wall B of the removable topsections F, supported on the brackets E provided with a depending lip f,lapping the outer edge of the wall B and bracket portion E as shown, anda depending bracket or brackets F disposed against the inner side ofsaid wall, the inner end of said top forming the outer edge of theconduit-slot, all arranged substantially as shown and described.

7. The hereinbefore 1 described improved conduit for electric railways,consistingof essentially U-shaped yoke-sections B, one Wall B of saidsections extended upward, forming the outer edge of the conduit-slot,means for bracing the said wall B of the sections 13, as shown, themeeting ends of the walls 13 of said sections provided with cut-awayportions B forming an opening B horizontal brackets G, secured to saidWall and extended to about centrally within said conduit, formingsupports for the electric Wire to one side of the conduit-slot, thebrace-arm E, anchored to one side of the conduit, as shown, and disposedat the meeting ends of the sections, provided with a bracket portion Eprojecting within the conduit, provided with a recess 6 lap ping theupper end 17 of the Wall B and removable top plates disposed over theyokesections and supported at their meeting ends on the brackets E theinner ends forming the inner edge of the slot, said plates provided witha depending lip f, lapping over the outer edge of the Wall 13 and thebracket E and a depending bracket or brackets F disposed against theinner face of said wall B all-arranged substantially as and for thepurpose hereinbefore described.

BERNARD J. BLACK.

WVitnesses:

EUGENE (3. Missile, JAMES T. READ.

